Sunday, 18 April 2010

have just completed a challenge for a fat Book. This is like an ATC but you use a 4x4 base. The subject was textures. I have now sent my 11 pages and have been very busy. I decided to use a theme throughout. I used on each one an embossing folder called bird call by cuttlebug. This had been purchased a while ago and never used. It now needs a holiday!!! I then did as many variations using different techniques and materials. Hope you like them.

Friday, 15 January 2010

Hi everyone. Well one good thing about the snow is that i have managed to make a few cards. As all my materials are in my workshop at the bottom of the garden i have had to make in the house. I set myself a challenge. I had purchased a CD Rom from Joanna Sheen called Royal Horticultural Society Collection (RHS). It is a 3 disc set with art work from various artists. I have never made anything from a CD rom as i prefer stamping and colouring. I then took some square pre made cards, and printed off a number of toppers and backing papers from the CD Rom. I used 300gsm white card for the toppers and some paper i have had for ages , Conqueror Natural Parchment 90gsm which i had from staples. I was pleased with the printing.I added to that gold and silver mirri board, a packet of brights plain card, a packet of flora paper and a packet of darker plain card. These came from The Range. I then proceded to make over 30 cards. I experimented with different folds of the card and numerous ways of presenting the toppers. It was an interesting exercise and for sinple cards i was quite pleased with the finished effect. I did eventually get bored as ther is only so much you can do with toppers.Well back to the stamping and colouring, distressing etc etc.

Wednesday, 30 December 2009

Hi everyone. At last some time to make.I have created an eisel calender with thanks from www.timeforcrafting.co.uk This is a site where you pay for a monthly e magazine. I can really recommend it as it has loads of ideas and lots of templates. This project was from the latest issue number 14. I followed the instructions and created my own embellishments. Hope you like it too.Goodies used:-Papermania 12x12 spring burst papersWhite cardDCWV Glitter cardstock matstackAnita's calendersButterfly expressions punchStamp from paper artsy Crowns and castle 735cm circle punchspellbinders circle and scallop nestabilitiesAnitas stick on ribbonpapermania adhesive stonesStockists of these;-The Craft Room, Newton AbbotThe Range, Exeterpaper artsy

Friday, 23 October 2009

We have 2 new artists in the shop. The first does mosaic glass art work which you can put in the garden. Very different and a little funky. They are different shapes such as bugs, butterflys, motor bike and are very reasonably priced. The second lady does more traditional stained glass hangers with little boats on them. Again very attractive.Have been training a new staff member. I realise that with over 60 crafts persons and another 30 plus categories the till is quite complicated. We got on very well so i have high hopes that i will be freed up to spend more time creating.One of my regular artists brought some more clocks into the shop. These have sold very well. They are different shapes such as a cat, ice cream cone, champagne bottle, etc. All hand painted and decorated.To-day Friday i have taken time out to spend with my husband. We went to Dartmouth where i always love looking at the small independent shops. One of my suppliers(Simon Drew) has 2 shops there. He is a very successful artist and one of the best sellers in my shop.I went to a card making course at Finishing Touches in Totnes with a friend of mine. The topic was shaper cards. It was interesting and we completed 3 xmas themed cards. I hope to post some pictures. I am always amazed at how fast some people are. I treat these sessions as pleasure so it is nice to take some time as my work for sale is always against the clock.I have a bunch pf bookwork to catch up with. This is like the Forth Bridge painting (i Never catch up).The shop has been fairly busy and the new items are selling well.Bye for nowLyn

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Much better day. At home most of the day. The cats had brought in a mouse and a rat so had lots of fun getting those 2 out of the house. The cats were no good - probably fed them too much.I hope to post some photos of my cards some time.Had 3 deliveries in the shop. Possibly more bath bomb, green glass and fudge.Bye for nowLyn

Monday, 19 October 2009

What a weekend! A fabulous weekend of endless new techniques. I cannot elaborate too much as that would spoil it for the next group but i learnt so much and had some finished projects to show for it. Held at Newport Pagnell my adventure started on Friday catching the train to Paddington from Newton Abbot. We were told that a kit would be provided and that we would need bare essentials only. One thing i would advise anyone going is that take a nail brush and some swarfega cleaner as we got very mucky and i had to wait until i got home to get my nails really clean.Four hours later i had arrived at Paddington having made a crochet brooch. Crochet is so good to do on the train but i had to relearn the stitches as it has been over a year since i did any. I had a most grumpy lady opposite me who did not speak for the whole journey. Normally bringing out crafts allows people to speak to you. I also completed the Times killer and sudoku and read the paper. Arriving at Paddington i then travelled by tube to Euston station and caught the train to Milton Keynes. Then a quick taxi and i was there. Priorities first was food. The hotel was a typical conference one, nothing special but adequate. Pillow were hard and the rooms hot but the rooms were not as small as i thought they would be. So good for £39 plus VAT per night plus breakfast.I found a few potential crafty people in the bar and plonked myself down. Crafty people are so friendly. It transpired that one person was from Exeter, half an hour away from where i live....The car journey had been terrible due to the M5 being partly blocked so my 4 hour train journey did not seem so bad.Food made me more human and a couple of Magners and i was very relaxed. We all speculated about the forthcoming two days and chatted about our various crafts we all did. had not realised that there would be 48 other people on the weekend. I suppose the economics mean you have to have that many.Retired to bed and slept until alarm at 6.30. The rest of this story will need to be told after next weekend takes place.One thing i will say is that my husband was most impressed with my finished articles and amazed at how much had been done.

On my shop I phoned on Sunday from the hotel and discovered that there had been a shoplifting incident which had turned a bit nasty. One of my staff had been told this chap had taken something. He spotted her coming to-wards him and ditched the clock he had pinched. He then legged it out the shop. The staff still thought he had the goods and went outside to ask for them back. He then turned nasty, came back in the shop and started taking his clothes off to prove he had nothing on him. he went down to boxers only. Sounds funny but not when accompanied by threatening language. The police were called and he legged it. The clock was found out of the packet and on a shelf.Statements were taken and incident logged. I worried about this on the 6 hour train journey home.The next day i am going to the shop although i had planned a sleep in as i did not arrive home until after 11.30. I was telephoned by a member of staff who said that a window had been smashed some time during the night. My sense of elation after the weekend evaporated and i just cried. Getting myself to-gether i got to the shop and arranged a glazier to put a new window in. It could have been worse..All of the windows could have been smashed. I remember an incident a month ago when a suspicious woman pointed to the very same clock and asked her"boyfriend" to get it for her. I think that all of these are connected. The curious thing was that we have CCTV and i manged to pull up the digital feed from that day but the visual skipped for that very hour i wanted, A coincidence. I think not. Any ideas how and why this should happen?? I think that they were going to take a lot of things and were disturbed. We have some handbags for sale which i had chained and i found the chains undone. I think they intended to get these.The handbags are now chained to death!! and the clocks moved away from the door. I hate the feeling that these things bring .One nice thing about Monday is that one of my artists came into the shop with some new necklaces. The lady makes lovely ceramic beads and buttons. I told her the sad story and having admired a bronze necklace she said i want you to have it. It made my day so much better. Thank you D for cheering me up. I feel more positive and have to start planning some crafts.Over and outLyn

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About Me

I am married to Martin and have 3 children, Emma, Mike and Jordan. Emma and Mike are adults and Jordan is still at home. I live in Teignmouth and am Devon born.
I have been crafting for over 10 years. I make jewellery but just over a year ago got into card and paper crafts. It is very addictive!!!!!